Erwitt's photos of hands are photos of character, of feeling and discourse,of life in flow guided or articulated by gesture. Although his humor is sly and his images witty in composition, his work comes down to love of humanity and of the beauty of life in its homeliest forms.

What is it about hands? We think we communicate with words, but has anyone ever told that to an Italian? Where did the expression "tongue- tied" come from? It's doubtful anyone ever tied a tongue. But tie their hands and about half the world's communicators would be silenced. Human (and sometimes non-human) hands are, with the possible exception of the eyes, the most expressive parts of the body, asking for more or less, telling us to come or to go,asking questions and answering them,scolding, rewarding, searching and finding,and at their most intimate, loving and lustful. Hands calm us, feed us, and scratch our backs. They intimidate, bless,encourage, and stop us. They soothe, caress,and sometimes go where they shouldn't.And they draw our attention to the good and the bad, often suggesting exuberance or fear. We may take hands for granted. But Elliott does not. Here is Erwitt at his most serious-and-yet-whimsical best, giving us the delicious moments which, without hands, would not exist.